With just weeks left in her tenure, Guam Memorial Hospital Authority Administrator and CEO Lillian Perez Posadas issued a candid letter to the community, criticizing the 38th Guam Legislature’s handling of the hospital’s funding and calling for urgent collaboration with Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero.
Posadas pointed to Resolution 93-38, which asks President Donald Trump to reallocate $104 million in American Rescue Plan funds currently earmarked for a new hospital, saying it fails to address the immediate crises at Guam’s only public hospital. “Resolution 93-38 does not address or resolve anything pertaining to the emergent need at our one-and-only public hospital, GMHA especially in view of the two recent electrical fires,” she wrote.
The administrator detailed chronic financial challenges, including low insurance reimbursements and a persistent budget gap. She noted that Medicare caps reimbursements at $1,600 per patient per day, far below actual hospital costs of $5,000 to $10,000. GMHA faced a projected $28 million shortfall in its FY 2026 operational budget, excluding an additional $21 million request for operations and $29 million in capital improvement projects. “Legislation and legislative leadership have the authority and responsibility to save lives … they serve as lifelines for GMHA and the community we serve,” Posadas said.
Calling GMHA “the beating heart of Guam’s public healthcare system,” Posadas urged senators to work directly with the governor to ensure adequate funding. “Senators, on behalf of every patient awaiting care, every frustrated nurse and staff due to the dwindling or lack of supplies and every family that counts on GMHA, PLEASE extend that olive branch and work with the Governor,” she said.